Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-07-07
THE TIMES.
KANSAS LANDS AND MOkT-
CAGES.

In the Rockland (Mainc) Free Press
of the 9th, inst, appears an article
with the caption, "keep cool head
This article is evidently designed to put
the people of that section of Maine on
their guard against investments In
western farm mortgages. In so doing,
the writer proceeds upon the assump-
tien that there are grave doubts of the
security and ultimate profit OF invest
ments of this character in the west.
This assumption is either based on lg-
norance or jealousy, or both. 1t shows
that man living in one section OF a
common country connected by rail-
roads, mail routes, telegraphs and news
papers, may yet not be posted con-
corning the character and resources OF
another section, or if posted, his local
pride and attachments may influence
him to shade or grossly pervert the
truth regarding that other section, and
to raise doubts in the minds of those
who have some inclination to be gov
erned by facts rather than groundless
prejudice.
The article was in the Chicago In
ter Ocean referred to by the editorial in
question. The Champion embraces
this opportunity to state, was written
by man who came to Kansas some
years ago, made fortune in lands
1900 of which he still owns and refu-
SEES to sell-loaned money at high rates
of interest, and because the locality in
which he operated would no longer tol-
crate his cut-throat methods and sat
down on him vigorously, he resolved to
retaliate, and did SO by publishing this
article in the Inter Ocean, the falsity
of which is so generally conceded as to
make its author an object Of detestation
among those who know him, his history
and the animus which prompted his
production. So much for the Inter
Ocean article.
Now as to the facts involvedin Kan
sas farm mortgages. To start with,
farm lands in Kansas are among the
very choicest lands on the face Of the
earth; they are among the most fertile,
the most productive and the most re-
liable Of any farm lands in any portion
of the Union.
All reports to the contrary notwith-
standing, Kansas, within the last thirty
years, has experienced but three gener-
al drouths and failures of crops, the
last one occurring in 1876, and the two
preceding in 1860 and 1874. Since
1886 Kansas crops have been unifor-
mally good, each succeeding year the
area of cultivation charging and the
total of products proportionately in
creasing, until this year Kansas will
raise at least 2, 100000 bushels of
corn, a fair wheat crop, an average oat
crop, the largest and best potato crop
Of its history, and rye, millet, sorghum,
fax, fruits, hay and live stock far in
excess of any two Of its last eleven
prosperous years.
In addition to the marvellous produc
tiveness and certainty of Kanss farm
products, are the marketing facilities
of the state. Kansas is now gridironed
with railways running in all directions
communicating with the best markets
on the west, in the adjoining state Of
Colorado, on the south with the Indiar
Territory, Texas, and by way of Gal
weston and the Gulf of Mexico, sever
hundred miles nearer the European
markets than the states east of us, OF
the southwest with New and Old Mexi
CO, on the southeast with the grea
markets along the Missouri and Miss
issippi, and by reason of these markets
nearer to us now than ever before By
recently constructed railways, Kansas
is absolutely independent of eastern
markets, and In possession of the bes
facilities for disposing Of its products
of any state in the union. Thus two
important objects as certain in Kansas
as in Maine, or in any Of the eastern
states and Middle are secured, alst
abundant crops and good convenien
markets for these crops.
Another fact, Kansas farm lands a
present are at their minimum value
The average price of 6rst-class farm
lands in Kansas is about $50 per acre
In some localities lands run up to So
per acre, but the average taking thu
state as whole, is about $50. Land.
not half as productive nor as faverably